The Tennessee Vols under Josh Heupel consistently have a standout offense, but with new faces and young players stepping into bigger roles, it’s always exciting to see who breaks out on the big stage each year. This season, Tennessee will likely move with either true freshman Faizon Brandon or redshirt freshman George MacIntyre at quarterback, and they will have some young players on offense who played some last season stepping into bigger roles. There will be some familiar faces on offense, but also plenty of new ones.
Spring football hasn’t changed Vegas’ outlook on Tennessee’s national championship odds
Given that their will be a lot of new on the Vols' offense, these are three Vols on offense I'm buying stock in before fall camp.
1. David Sanders Jr., OT
Former five-star tackle David Sanders Jr. quietly had a really solid freshman season for Tennessee. It’s already tough for true freshman offensive linemen to see the field, let alone earn a starting job, but Sanders managed to do both. He started six games and showed flashes of why he was such a highly rated recruit with his mix of athleticism and raw power. He was also Tennessee’s highest-graded player in the Music City Bowl and looked strong against Alabama as well.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Sanders ends up as an All-SEC selection this season. I’m that confident he’s about to take a big leap. His talent is obvious, and it feels like he’s on the verge of becoming one of the top tackles in the conference. Give me all the shares.
2. Ethan Davis, TE
At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, there aren’t many tight ends more athletic than Ethan Davis. The redshirt junior really started to break out late last season, recording 18 catches over Tennessee’s final four games. Now, with Miles Kitselman gone, Davis is expected to take over the role full-time, and expectations are sky high heading into the fall.
What makes Davis so valuable is that he’s not just a dangerous pass catcher. He’s also a willing blocker, which should really help Tennessee as they lean more into a pro-style offense. As long as he can stay healthy, he will thrive as the full-time No. 1 tight end for Heupel. I love the upside he brings to the Vols' offense, and he will be a good safety net for the freshman quarterback who wins the job.
3. Radarious Jackson, WR
Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews are expected to be the top two targets for the Tennessee Vols, but a lot of fans are forgetting about true sophomore Radarious Jackson, who really started to emerge late last season.
Jackson only had nine catches for 90 yards as a freshman, but four of those catches came during the final three games of the year. He’s still developing as a route runner, but at 6-foot-2 with elite athleticism, he brings a lot of upside and can win contested catches. Right now, it also sounds like he’s ahead of five-star freshman TK Keys and Idaho State transfer Ian Duarte. When Jackson gets the ball in his hands, he can make plays, and this fall, he should get an opportunity to show out on the big stage. When Staley and Matthews are the focus of the defense, Jackson could see a plethora of targets. Buy up now before it's too late.
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